Southern California -- this just in

Man who stomped pelican that stole his fish pleads guilty to animal cruelty

September 9, 2010 | 7:37
am

When a pelican nabbed a fish that Daniel Richard Moreno had caught on the Newport Beach coast earlier this year, he turned violent, stomping the bird, authorities say.

On Wednesday, Moreno, 20, was sentenced to community service and probation after pleading guilty the day before to misdemeanor animal
cruelty,
prosecutors said.

The Perris man had been sentenced to 20 days in jail but was given the option of serving his
time with Caltrans.

Moreno was given credit for time served after his arrest for the
incident in March. He has 12 days left to serve and can either do the time behind bars or with Caltrans, which could require him picking up trash
on the side of the freeway in an orange vest, officials said.

On March 14, authorities said, Moreno was fishing off the Newport Pier when a pelican
swooped down from a nearby building and tried to grab part of his catch.

Moreno stomped on the pelican's beak, giving the protected species a
33- to 36-centimeter hairline fracture and drawing blood.

Animal
experts said the injury could have been life-threatening because
pelicans dive beak-first into the water from about 60 feet in the
air.